Epilogue—Dante

Business …

Back to business, but I felt different today; more appreciative of everything.

We were just getting set up and waiting for Gio.

He’d met with Gibbs earlier after he’d informed him that he found something very interesting.

Gio just came through the door, face stern and a large envelope in his hands.

The pale look on his face told me something was wrong.

Claudius and Alex picked up on it too.

“What happened?” Claudius asked.

Gio sat and just shook his head. We looked at him as he balled his fists and released a sigh of frustration.

“Just look at it.” He handed Claudius the envelope.

He opened it and took out a file that was stapled together. I could see too there was a handwritten note attached to it with a paperclip.

“It’s a coroner’s report,” Claudius stated.

“That is Marshall’s original coroner’s report.” Gio answered. Marshall was Gio’s best friend from Philly. He was the one who he wore the cross for.

“Original?” I asked.

Alex instantly quirked a brow.

“The report we saw said he died of gunshot wounds from a gang shoot out,” Gio replied.

“This says he was poisoned.” Claudius held it up.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

“It says he was poisoned a whole day before the supposed shoot out. Gibbs found it along with the note.”

Claudius started reading the note. “Call me as soon as you see this. I saw something that I think you should know about. Only you have the power to sort this out. Marshall.”

Holy fucking hell.

“Jesus Gio, what the fuck?” Claudius hissed.

“I know. It was all a lie. All of it some kind of set up—everything. He saw something he wasn’t supposed to see and someone killed him for it. Someone killed him and covered it up.”

“What do you want to do?” Claudius asked.

“Claudius I can’t just accept it.” Gio shook his head. “Good on Gibbs for investigating and finding the answer, and thank you Claudius for finding him and hiring him. I got an answer to what happened, but I don’t know who killed him. I don’t know who did this to him. I have to go to Philly to find out. I know it’s’ not ideal I–”

“We’re all going.” Claudius cut in. “We’ll all go and take Gibbs with us.”

“No,” Gio held up his hand. “Your wife’s about to give birth at any time. You need to stay here.”

“Well I’m fucking coming whether you like it or not.” I told him. Sure I didn’t want to leave Maria. We’d just gotten back from the Bahamas. I just had the most amazing news ever that we’d be parents again. There was a lot to do and get used to, but I was going. “My wife isn’t due for months and she’d kill my ass if I didn’t go to back you up.”

I’d kill my ass if I didn’t go too. I was going.

“What about me? I’ll come too.” Alex offered.

“No, stay with Claudius. He’ll need help,” I said before Claudius could answer. “We’ll go and take Gibbs with us. We got this.”

Claudius snapped his gaze to me. “Still playing Boss Dante?” he smirked.

“No, L.A. punk, I’m playing the friend.” I smiled and looked to Gio. “I’m playing the friend, now let’s go get the motherfuckers who did this.”

Gio nodded with deep appreciation in his eyes. “I’ll book our flights."

The End.